OAKTON, Va. - FBI special agents searched U.S. Rep. John Doolittle's Oakton, Va., home as part of a probe into his allegedly ties to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The FBI has been investigating reported links between the disgraced lobbyist, who was convicted on multiple fraud, bribery and money-laundering charges, and the California Republican, The Hill reported Thursday.

Doolittle's former chief of staff, Kevin Ring, left the congressman's staff to work for Abramoff's Greenberg Traurig law firm. Investigators told the newspaper they suspect Ring may have been involved in Abramoff's decision to hire the consulting firm of Doolittle's wife.

Ring went to work for lobbying firm Barnes and Thornburg when the Abramoff scandal broke. Investigators say he has not been cooperating in the investigation and he resigned from the firm Wednesday.

During his re-election campaign in 2006, Doolittle refused to return an estimated $50,000 in donations he received from Abramoff clients and it is estimated that he received $14,000 in campaign contributions from Abramoff himself between 1999 and 2004.